The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo appears to be rejigging a plan to auction off the rights to drill for oil and gas in 30 blocks across the country. On October 11, Congo’s hydrocarbons minister announced he had cancelled the auction of 27 oil blocks, citing late submissions, inappropriate or irregular offers, and a lack of competition. The announcement makes no mention of three gas blocks.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has called off a licensing round for 27 oil blocks initially launched in 2022 to access the country’s oil and gas potential.
This decision was communicated in a statement posted on Monday on the hydrocarbons ministry’s X account. The statement, dated October 11, listed various reasons for the cancellation, including late submissions, inappropriate or irregular offers, and a lack of competition.